(LCMS News) On the 495th anniversary of the Reformation, Dr. Alister McGrath, professor at King\u2019s College, London, called on confessional Lutherans around the world to continue to \u201cunpack, interpret and translate\u201d\u009d the words of Dr. Martin Luther in the contemporary culture.<\/p>\n
Speaking on the topic of Witness (martyia) to Lutheran church leaders\u201d\u201dwho collectively represent more than 20 million Lutherans\u201d\u201dfrom Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, Australia and North America, McGrath urged all Lutherans to \u201cgo back to this resource [Luther] to enrich the present-day mission.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n
McGrath, a leading critic of the New Atheism and an advocate of the importance of theology in apologetics, mission, evangelism, spirituality and social engagement, is also a former atheist whose interest and eventual conversion to Christianity was due in part to his reading of Luther.
Serving as keynote speaker to the International Conference on Confessional Leadership, sponsored by The Lutheran Church\u201d\u201dMissouri Synod, McGrath set the stage for a series of follow-up responses from pastors from Taiwan, Nigeria, Brazil and England regarding the relevance and importance of Luther and the Lutheran church in the 21st century.<\/p>\n
A failure to share Luther\u2019s insights and the enduring confessional Lutheran perspective with the 21st century, noted McGrath, will result in a \u201ctreasure chest\u201d\u009d of doctrine that will \u201cremain unopened because the language isn\u2019t understood.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s much easier to withdraw and not engage with anyone else,\u201d\u009d McGrath admitted, \u201cbut Luther is a witness to the more uncomfortable truth that we need to be there at the intersection of Christ and culture, bearing witness to the Gospel.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n
Tomorrow (Nov. 1, All Saints\u2019 Day), the conference will focus on the theme of Mercy (Diakonia).<\/p>\n
Daily news briefs and updates from the conference are available at the Witness, Mercy, Life Together blog, LCMS Twitter, LCMS Facebook and KFUO Radio. The conference is made possible by a grant from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
(LCMS News) On the 495th anniversary of the Reformation, Dr. Alister McGrath, professor at King\u2019s College, London, called on confessional Lutherans around the world to continue to \u201cunpack, interpret and translate\u201d\u009d the words of Dr. Martin Luther in the contemporary…<\/span><\/p>\n